Thespian Pledge:
“I promise to uphold the aims and ideals of the International Thespian Society. I am a student of theatre, and excellence is my ideal. I promise to perform my part as well as I can; to accept praise and criticism with grace; to cooperate with my fellow Thespians and work for the good of the Troupe; and to share my love of the theatre.”
I am a registered Thespian. This means I have completed the prerequisites required of the International Thespian Society in order to be accepted into a Thespian Troupe. The quote included at the top of the page is on the back of my Thespian card. In all honesty, it's been a long time since I've looked at it. I earned it in ninth grade, so it's dirty and faded, but still readable. The night of my initiation seems like it was only yesterday: Myself and my fellow inductees sat outside the auditorium dressed all in black, not allowed to speak a word. We were then blindfolded, and led up on stage. The officers of Troupe 6945 then read the official transcript of the International Thespian Society to us; and at the end we repeated a pledge. This may sound rather odd, and a bit scary, but trust me, it was a lot of fun. That night signified my completion of 100 theatre hours, and acceptance into a society of performers. Over the next three years, I immersed myself in all things theatre, and came out of it with a very substantial amount of knowledge.
Throughout the years, I have participated in countless plays, musicals, drama classes, and theatre conferences. It all began in sixth grade, with my first non-school play, The Last Gladiator. It was a Newport Children's Theatre production and I was an ensemble member, meaning I had no lines. When I began my relationship with drama, it was something I did because my best friend, Lucy, did it. Reciting lines in front of a group of strangers can be daunting, and those first few plays most certainly were. As the years went by, however, I found myself enjoying the thrill of performing more and more. Once I got to high school, I was a full fledged theatre kid.
I was too nervous to audition for the fall play my freshman year. It was A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare. I did end up working backstage for the show, as a techie. I moved set pieces on and off the stage, dressed all in black, trying to be as quick as possible, much like a ninja. I loved watching the show from the wings. The actors were like superheroes to me, so confident and composed. They could deliver page long soliloquies with the greatest of ease. I knew this was the place for me. So, in the spring, I auditioned for the musical, Pippin. I did not get cast, but I was a techie again, very typical of a freshman. I learned a great deal about the behind the scenes aspect of a show that year; which further enriched my theatre experience.
Another crucial part of my theatre education was conferences. Throughout the year, there were several of these for high school students around the state, and also the Northeast. A typical day went like this: You arrive with your Troupe, and then are given a name tag with a specific color and shape on it. These represent your group for the day. It was a chance to meet new people. There were workshops to go to; things like “Introduction to Puppetry,” or “Stage Makeup 101.” All different branches of theatre to sample buffet style. Also you could perform for adjudicators. Either contrasting monologues, a group scene, musical theatre, mime, or even presenting your lighting, costume, or set designs from a show, were options. The adjudicators rate your presentation and provide written feedback. Those who receive the highest score, a Superior, are eligible to go the International Thespian Festival in Nebraska. The ITF is a week long conference, but with even more workshops, and also full length shows that were selected from high schools around the country. I attended this festival my junior year, and it was spectacular. A theatre kid's heaven. What these conferences did was introduce me to the world of educational theatre, and all of the areas that encompass it.
I learned much of what I know about drama from experience. Simply participating in so many productions gave me a solid base of knowledge. But I also learned from my theatre classes. We were taught acting techniques and exercises that allowed us to become more comfortable on stage, and with ourselves as actors. It's something you have to practice, like an instrument or sport. I believe some people have an innate ability for acting, but most of us have to work at it. It's not easy to “go there.” Actors will know what I mean when I say, “going to that place.” What it is is exposing yourself emotionally to your audience; in a nutshell. It's scary, yet empowering. Out of all of the realms of theatre I have participated in, acting is the most frightening.
I never had a starring role in any productions in high school, but I was always a part of the shows. Usually I was onstage, but my junior year, I was assistant director for the fall play.The previous year in my Acting Ensemble class, my teacher, Mrs. Arthur, noticed I had a certain flair for directing. We would often watch each others monologues and give constructive criticism. Perhaps it was a culmination of my hours spent watching theatre, but I was very good at picking out the small discrepancies in someone's movements or speech. I could see what needed to be done in order for the message of their piece to be clear. I went on to student direct the fall play, A Piece of my Heart, which was about servicewomen of the Vietnam War. From working backstage, to acting, to directing, I became very well rounded in those four years.
Drama is a vehicle for communicating human experiences. Plays create a unique connection between actors and their audience; a shared feeling and understanding. I have been in a deep and committed relationship with theatre for about eight years, and I can say with confidence that I have expertise. My level of involvement may vary from year to year, but it will always be a part of my life. I will continue to carry out my duties as a member of the International Thespian Society as long as I live.
Thespian Motto:
“Act well your part; there all the honor lies.” -Alexander Pope
Dr. Fogleman
26 September 2014
Thespian Pledge:
“I promise to uphold the aims and ideals of the International Thespian Society. I am a student of theatre, and excellence is my ideal. I promise to perform my part as well as I can; to accept praise and criticism with grace; to cooperate with my fellow Thespians and work for the good of the Troupe; and to share my love of the theatre.”
I am a registered Thespian. This means I have completed the prerequisites required of the International Thespian Society in order to be accepted into a Thespian Troupe. The quote included at the top of the page is on the back of my Thespian card. In all honesty, it's been a long time since I've looked at it. I earned it in ninth grade, so it's dirty and faded, but still readable. The night of my initiation seems like it was only yesterday: Myself and my fellow inductees sat outside the auditorium dressed all in black, not allowed to speak a word. We were then blindfolded, and led up on stage. The officers of Troupe 6945 then read the official transcript of the International Thespian Society to us; and at the end we repeated a pledge. This may sound rather odd, and a bit scary, but trust me, it was a lot of fun. That night signified my completion of 100 theatre hours, and acceptance into a society of performers. Over the next three years, I immersed myself in all things theatre, and came out of it with a very substantial amount of knowledge.
Throughout the years, I have participated in countless plays, musicals, drama classes, and theatre conferences. It all began in sixth grade, with my first non-school play, The Last Gladiator. It was a Newport Children's Theatre production and I was an ensemble member, meaning I had no lines. When I began my relationship with drama, it was something I did because my best friend, Lucy, did it. Reciting lines in front of a group of strangers can be daunting, and those first few plays most certainly were. As the years went by, however, I found myself enjoying the thrill of performing more and more. Once I got to high school, I was a full fledged theatre kid.
I was too nervous to audition for the fall play my freshman year. It was A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare. I did end up working backstage for the show, as a techie. I moved set pieces on and off the stage, dressed all in black, trying to be as quick as possible, much like a ninja. I loved watching the show from the wings. The actors were like superheroes to me, so confident and composed. They could deliver page long soliloquies with the greatest of ease. I knew this was the place for me. So, in the spring, I auditioned for the musical, Pippin. I did not get cast, but I was a techie again, very typical of a freshman. I learned a great deal about the behind the scenes aspect of a show that year; which further enriched my theatre experience.
Another crucial part of my theatre education was conferences. Throughout the year, there were several of these for high school students around the state, and also the Northeast. A typical day went like this: You arrive with your Troupe, and then are given a name tag with a specific color and shape on it. These represent your group for the day. It was a chance to meet new people. There were workshops to go to; things like “Introduction to Puppetry,” or “Stage Makeup 101.” All different branches of theatre to sample buffet style. Also you could perform for adjudicators. Either contrasting monologues, a group scene, musical theatre, mime, or even presenting your lighting, costume, or set designs from a show, were options. The adjudicators rate your presentation and provide written feedback. Those who receive the highest score, a Superior, are eligible to go the International Thespian Festival in Nebraska. The ITF is a week long conference, but with even more workshops, and also full length shows that were selected from high schools around the country. I attended this festival my junior year, and it was spectacular. A theatre kid's heaven. What these conferences did was introduce me to the world of educational theatre, and all of the areas that encompass it.
I learned much of what I know about drama from experience. Simply participating in so many productions gave me a solid base of knowledge. But I also learned from my theatre classes. We were taught acting techniques and exercises that allowed us to become more comfortable on stage, and with ourselves as actors. It's something you have to practice, like an instrument or sport. I believe some people have an innate ability for acting, but most of us have to work at it. It's not easy to “go there.” Actors will know what I mean when I say, “going to that place.” What it is is exposing yourself emotionally to your audience; in a nutshell. It's scary, yet empowering. Out of all of the realms of theatre I have participated in, acting is the most frightening.
I never had a starring role in any productions in high school, but I was always a part of the shows. Usually I was onstage, but my junior year, I was assistant director for the fall play.The previous year in my Acting Ensemble class, my teacher, Mrs. Arthur, noticed I had a certain flair for directing. We would often watch each others monologues and give constructive criticism. Perhaps it was a culmination of my hours spent watching theatre, but I was very good at picking out the small discrepancies in someone's movements or speech. I could see what needed to be done in order for the message of their piece to be clear. I went on to student direct the fall play, A Piece of my Heart, which was about servicewomen of the Vietnam War. From working backstage, to acting, to directing, I became very well rounded in those four years.
Drama is a vehicle for communicating human experiences. Plays create a unique connection between actors and their audience; a shared feeling and understanding. I have been in a deep and committed relationship with theatre for about eight years, and I can say with confidence that I have expertise. My level of involvement may vary from year to year, but it will always be a part of my life. I will continue to carry out my duties as a member of the International Thespian Society as long as I live.
Thespian Motto:
“Act well your part; there all the honor lies.” -Alexander Pope